Spanish opera singer Montserrat Caballe has been declared persona non grata in Azerbaijan for visiting Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijans Embassy in Madrid sent a note of protest to Spains Ministry of Foreign Affairs claiming that the world-famous operatic soprano took a trip to Azerbaijans occupied territories without getting permission from Baku. Caballe spent two days in Karabakh earlier this week, meeting with President Bako Sahakyan and spiritual leader, Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan. She also visited two Armenian churches in Karabakh, including the medieval Gandzasar monastery. The Azerbaijani embassy in Madrid said Caballes managers had been warned about the possible consequences of her going to Karabakh in advance, adding that the 80-year-old singer will not be able to receive Azerbaijans visas in the future. In recent years, Azerbaijani authorities have routinely blacklisted foreign officials and other senior foreign guests visiting Karabakh via Armenia. Caballe is scheduled to give a concert at the Opera House in Yerevan on June 9. http://www.armenianow.com/karabakh/...baijan_opera_singer_caballe_persona_non_grata wtf? I guees opera diva got a fatal blow. She will never see sunny Azerbaijan.
bad move. azerbajani authorities confused religion / politics with culture. and they got any benefit at all? no i guess. but azerbajani opera lovers definitely got hard blow.
i doubt. in my view same ship different country. though there were some good reforms especially in the law enforcement sector (police / justice reforms).
